The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-10-15

were coming here tonight, and l &C., cepted Mrs. Jameson Peters invita- tion for the purpose of meeting you here. I never go into what is called society, that is, I have not been for seven years."
 A nasty process of subtraction in Elinos' mind silently produced the date 1877.
 "But since l saw you on Wednesday last have been conscious of one over whelming desire, namely, to meet you. Are you going to be conventional and feel shocked at my boldness in telling this? No, pardon me, you could never be like every one else, but my over-boldness makes me afraid of losing what I have already gained, the inestimable privilege of speaking to you"
 Elinos' every fibre felt that mans personality, and it was very hard to find light words in which to answer him.
 "You have done nothing requiring pardon" she said, with an almost perceptible trembling in her voice. "I am only flattered in that you thought to find pleasure in knowing me. I, too, shall make the wildly improper confession that I have not been en- tirely ignorant of your existence since last Wednesday evening. You know really can't help seeing you when raise my eye at dinner. That tell-tale mirror is responsible"
 Later in the evening MT. Emerson effected an introduction to Miss Pit kins, and she, discovering that he was the legal adviser and also diStant relative of her dearest intimate, Mrs. Soule, cordially invited him to visit herself and her niece at the Windsor
 For many days following Mrs Jameson Peters "at home," Mir. Em- erson and Elinos met almost daily. He sent her flowers before dinner, and he called at the shortest permiss- ible intervals. From the first he made no attempt to disguise the mad and consuming love he had for her. In her presence his every look and motion were the expressions of fer vent homage.
 Nor did Elinos dare to deny to her. self that she was beginning to love this man, but few weeks since un- known in her life. But she did brave battle with her growing passion. She could not, must not love man against whom she felt herself to have been supernaturally warned. The conflict became at times terrible. At one mo- ment she would persuade herself that belief in her strange dream was the most abject superstition; the next, that to doubt its truth was direct defiance of revealed fate. Yet her lover wooed her so fearlessly, so en- tirely as if he knew of no bar to his rightful striving after the happiness of her love, that Elinos began to hate her instinctive fears. He seemed man of irreproachable honor. And yet there was the coincidence of the initials and the seven. years seclusion from society to continually remind her of the unturned page of the diary.
 Miss Pitkins, delighted with her new friend and sure of his eligibleness as to family and fortune, compla- gently watched the love affair. She was not unmindful of her niece's troubled mien, but she thought it caused only by the rebellion often ex- cited in a proud young heart when first learning to know its master. Had she suspected the true cause she would most certainly have lectured Elinos soundly upon the sin and folly of superstition, and would, perhaps, have succeeded in dispelling the mor- bid doubts which still tortured the young girl.
 A week before ti.e time set for their return home, Mr. Emerson, calling in the afternoon, found only Elinos in the cosy private parlor. Miss Pitkins, it was explained, had gone to pass the day with an old friend, and Elinos was left to her own devices, which had taken the form of book and low chair before the open fire.
 She blushed and felt strangely ap- prehensive when MT. Emerson's card was brought to her. She felt that the question she had so dreaded to hear must now be met.
 "Oh! Why had she let Aunt Nan go2" And how she wished that she had braved the cold, windy avenue for walk. Should she find courage to refuse this man whose every word had become music to her ears, and whose every part she worshiped? And what reason could she give? Could she tell him that for nothing but the strange coincidence of dream she be- lieved him guilty of an unknown crime? No, she would die rather than meet the perfect truthfnlness of his eyes, with such an accusation on her lips. And yet she was so horri- ply, awfully afraid to yield to the love which threatened to master her. Fancy, wicked superstition, or what